Trapped in First Class

I was determined to get out today. Now that Highbridge is free of engineering works, it seems like the rest of the world has succumbed and it was impossible to find tickets anywhere really interesting. For some reason, on miserable January days I find a whizz up the West Coast comforting, but with Gloucester-Birmingham a bus full of doubtlessly fractious Virgin passengers, I decided to take advantage of some cheap tickets from One and to head eastwards to cover a couple of bits of track I'd missed. Decided to kick off with our new first train of the day, the 0554 to Bristol. It's not much use unless you're heading for London, as it doesn't seem to connect with anything else you couldn't comfortably get off the 0633 on a Saturday, but nevertheless it was good to get an early start despite the miserable weather and my persistent sniffling. Thankfully, there were only three other passengers to annoy with this!

A largely uneventful journey to Paddington via the Berks & Hants, and it seemed that First Great Western had started the day off in a better position, with few cancellations on the boards. Underground to Kings Cross and time for a coffee before boarding the fast train to Cambridge. Having been this way a couple of times in the past year or so, I had a pleasantly sleepy run once past Bounds Green, broken only briefly to speak on the phone to my little nephew who was intrigued to hear I'd been going through tunnels! Grabbed a bite to eat at Cambridge and arrived on platform 6 in time to see Anglia liveried 153335 arriving and disgorging far more passengers that it could reasonably hold. Looked at the queue for the train, and realised we'd be fairly busy too. The line between Cambridge and Ipswich via Newmarket receives an hourly service - but I'd imagine it could support more frequent trains based on this kind of business on a wet, January Saturday. I only required the line between Coldham Lane and Chippenham Junctions so the plan was to disembark at Bury St Edmunds and have a brief wander before heading back on the 11:55.

Again, a fairly uneventful trip through uninspiring scenery. Lots of evidence of the equestrian industry around Newmarket, but little else to relieve the empty and flat country around here. Remembered Bury St Edmunds station from 47813's naming in October 2005. Wandered out to the station front, but I was put off strolling into town by the rain. Moped about miserably, my dismay being complete when 66541 appeared in the distance on a well-loaded Freightliner working and I realised I'd forgotten to pack my camera. Consoled myself by remembering that the light wasn't really suitable for photography. Bang on time, a more encouraging looking 156407 appeared and the journey back to Cambridge was warm and quiet.

Next plan was to head for Cheshunt on a Liverpool Street stopper, then change for the loop via Seven Sisters. Boarded the First Class end of the unit to find two disgruntled looking Revenue Protection Inspectors lurking. They weren't pleased to see me, and were even less happy to see I had a valid First Class ticket I think! Moving on they managed to detain a pair of hoodies without tickets in the vestibule and showed rare delicacy in closing the doors to the First Class section to give them some privacy while they shouted the odds at the miscreants. I thought nothing more of this until a little before Cheshunt when I headed for the doors. The strange grinding noise the sliding doors had made was the sound of them coming off their runners. The doors were wedged with a five inch gap. Anyone who knows me in person will realise that a five inch gap is simply not sufficient for my extensive frame. After some attempted vandalism I gave up and asked for help from a couple sitting in the next First Class bay. The gentleman was in fact a fitter for One, and between us we managed to effect a temporary repair via some vigorous shoulder barging. He said if we'd not been able to do it, he'd have passed me the carriage key at Cheshunt and we'd have escaped via the cab! Rather shaken by the idea of being trapped in a dilapidated 317, I made my way to the bay platform for the next Seven Sisters bound unit. The fitter tracked me down just before I left to tell me he'd had a moan to Liverpool Street about the state of the doors. We passed the time discussing the merits of First Class offerings on the various operators, and I left promising to try the ex-Anglia Intercity services as he thought these were really top notch.

I actually enjoyed the journey to Liverpool Street, despite being warned it was a trip through the badlands. The landscape was fairly urban, and the stations a little run down it's fair to say. But the train was comfortable and busy, and there were a few interesting characters on board. Finally passed through the curiously named Turkey Street and arrived at Liverpool Street on time. A quick look at what was in the station before embarking on a slow and frustrating tube trip back to Paddington. It seemed First Great Western's day had reverted to type, with a bunch of cancellations and inexplicable lateness in evidence when I arrived. My own train, the 1615 Paignton left dead on time, but was dogged by slow running from the start. From Reading to the Westbury area we crawled at what seemed a walking pace, and ended up almost 30 late at one point heading for Bath. The guard was unable to explain this at all. In fact, all the staff seemed rather gloomy and subdued. I suppose they've suffered the wrath of far too many angry punters these past weeks. With my planned Weston connection out of the window, got off at Bristol and bumped into an acquaintance. Took the equally slow 1907 back to Highbridge, arriving 32 late after departing Bristol 7 late! A strange day...